This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the
product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to
actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright © 2017 by Drew Brockington
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First Edition: April 2017
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Brockington, Drew.
Title: Cat-stronauts : Mission Moon / by Drew Brockington.
Description: First edition. | New York ; Boston : Little, Brown and Company, 2017. |
Summary: Alerted to a global energy crisis, the President consults with the World’s
Best Scientist, who suggests sending a special group of astronauts to turn the Moon
into a solar power plant.
Identifiers: LCCN 2015039108| ISBN 9780316307475 (hardcover) | ISBN
9780316307451 (trade pbk.) | ISBN 9780316435208 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Graphic novels. | CYAC: Graphic novels. | Astronauts—Fiction. | Space
flight to the moon—Fiction. | Presidents—Fiction. | Cats—Fiction.
Classification: LCC PZ7.7.B76 Cat 2017 | DDC 741.5/973—dc23
LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2015039108
E3
FOR
MY DAD
CHAPTER 1
Good morning,
Mr. President.
Good morning,
Shelly.
Your first
meeting starts in
10 minutes, sir.
Thanks. I’ll
read a little
until then.
Hmmmm…
That was odd.
HEY
NOW!
I’m trying to
read here!
Much better.
I got coffee
up my nose.
Mr. President,
are you OK?!
The paper says
that we have
an energy crisis!
Looks like the
paper’s telling the truth,
Mr. President.
How can we run
this country if the
lights can’t stay on?
We could switch
to using only
batteries.
We need to solve this
problem now! I want
to talk to the
World’s Best Scientist.
Hello?
Hello. World’s Best
Scientist? This is the
President.
Mmmm-
hmmm…
Of the
United States.
Yes…
Of America.
MR. PRESIDENT?!
I am so sorry! I didn’t
mean to kee—
Never mind all of that.
I’ve just learned that
our country has a huge
energy crisis.
Yes, due to all the new gadgets
in the world, there is more energy
consumption. We’ve actually been
tracking this for quite some time.
Did you get the memo I sent?
Memo?
Oh. Well, now the
problem has reached
critical mass.
We use more power
than we can produce.
Any ideas on how we
can solve this and get
things back to normal?
Well…
We could stop
using toasters
and lightbulbs.
No.
Use electricity every
other Tuesday?
No.
We use only
batteries!
That’s what Shelly
said! But…no.
I want a long-term
solution! We’re going to
need the public’s support
to get this accomplished.
The plan has to be exciting
to win them over.
What if we went
to the moon?
I don’t
understand.
We could fly to the moon
and build a solar power
plant on the surface.
The power plant would
collect all the sun’s rays.
Then energy from those rays
could be sent back to Earth
through microwave signals.
Once those signals
reach Earth, we’ll convert
them into clean usable
energy!
Uh, Mr. President?
TO THE
MOON!
Yes, sir!
I know just the
cats for the job.
CHAPTER 2
CATSTRONAUTS,
YOU ARE
NEEDED!!
WAFFLES,
you are
needed!
MAJOR
MEOWSER,
you are
needed!
POM POM,
you are
needed!
BLANKET,
you are
needed!
TO THE
MISSION BRIEFING
ROOM!
Pom Pom,
what happened
to Waffles?
He was right
behind us!
CatStronauts,
thank you for
joining me.
I have an urgent
mission for you.
Psst, Blanket!!
What did I miss?
This one comes
directly from
the President.
Our world is facing a
massive energy crisis.
If we don’t do something soon
to solve it, we’ll be left
in the dark.
This is where
you come in.
You will be traveling
to the moon in our
latest and greatest
rocket design.
When you arrive, you will,
build a solar power plant
on the surface.
Because the moon is always
covered in sunlight, we will
be able to constantly collect
solar energy.
Once it’s running, the power
plant will beam energy back
to Earth with hyperadvanced
microwave technology.
Blanket, you’ll be
the Technical Specialist,
resp
onsible for the
actual power plant
construction.
Pom Pom, you are
the Chief Science Officer.
You’ll be running calculations
to ensure that the
power plant will function
at 100% performance.
Waffles, you are in charge
of piloting the spacecraft
and the lunar lander.
Major Meowser, you’re the
Mission Commander. You must
make sure everyone does
their job the best they can.
Any questions?
When do we
start?
Immediately. The world only
has 60 days of full power left.
Training for this particular
mission will be much shorter
This will be some of the
most intense training
of your careers.
Good luck.
All right, team, we
leave for the training
center in 15 minutes!
Bring only what
you need!
Major Meowser, what
about my Cat-Stro-Bot?
I’m almost finished.
Can I bring it along?
There won’t be time
for that, Blanket. You’ll
have to finish your robot
experiment when we return.
But I…
I’m sorry.
We have our orders.
Let’s hurry up and pack.
OOOF!
This is heavy!
Lift with
your legs!
Blanket, your bag looks
a little…different.
WHAT?!
It’s the same
bag as Waffles’s!
Oh brother…
Let’s get this bird
in the air!
CHAPTER 3
Effects from the
energy crisis can be
seen everywhere now.
I can’t keep
my fish cold
anymore.
Yesterday I was reading
a book, and then the lights
went out. So’I stopped
reading. It was awful.
One thing is for sure.
With more lights off,
there is plenty of time
for catnaps.
In other
news today…
the President has
confirmed that we
will be going back
to the moon.
Supposedly, this moon
mission will help to eliminate
the current power outages
around the country by…
Not again!
We’re going back.
Good luck,
brave kittens.
Director Maisy!
Sorry I’m late!
Glad you could
join us, Ozzie.
What is it?
Why did you call an
emergency meeting?
Cats of
Mission Control…
We are going back
to the moon!
OK. OK. Let’s settle down.
Now, because the last moon
mission was almost 30 years
ago, there are a few things we
need to take care of before
the launch.
First we must construct a
new rocket to make the journey to the
moon. Then we will monitor and assist
the CatStronauts during the mission.
To keep us on task, giant clocks
have been installed all over the place.
When we run out of time, Earth
runs out of power.
Let me be clear, we
cannot afford to
run out of time.
So we won’t.
We can do this.
You all know your tasks.
I’ll leave you to your work.
The moon–
I can’t
believe it!
I know, Patches!
It’s a dream
come true.
Whoa, that
is gigantic.
You said
it, Luna.
Is that what
I think it is?
The new
rocket.
This…is…
so…cool.
This…is…
going to be…
a lot of work.
instructions!
SPANGSY!
Check out all
the doodads
on this thing!
You scared
us silly.
Should we start
at the top or
the bottom?
Spangsy, you’re
holding it
upside down.
What do you
think this
is for?
CHAPTER 4
Team! Hold up
a second and
gather round!
Our training is almost
complete. We only have
a few more exercises
to master.
Major
Meowser?
Yes, Waffles?
When is lunch?
Trust me, you’ll want
to wait until later.
This machine simulates the
extreme speed and gravity
that we experience during
takeoff!
Aren’t you glad
you waited
for lunch?!
These cords help
duplicate the moon’s
low gravity.
One small leap on
Earth is the same as
one giant leap on
the moon.
This plane flies really high
and then drops really fast.
During the fall, we’ll be
weightless, just like in space.
Ready?
READY!!
READY!!
READY!!
We’re all finished on
our end of the rocket, Ozzie.
How close are you?
Almost…there…
Crud.
You broke the
last piece!
There are no
extra parts!
Don’t worry, Luna.
Everything is
under control.
How is yarn
going to help?!
There.
Good as
new.
With a little luck,
we won’t have
any trouble.
World’s Best Scientist?
The rocket
is nearing
completion.
Great, I’ll inform the
CatStronauts to head
to the launchpad.
Thanks, Director Maisy.
Moon ship, this is
the President.
Mr. President, so far
everything is going
according to plan.
You’re cleared
for landing…
Excellent news.
CHAPTER 5
Well, team, tomorrow is
our final training session.
What will it be?
The splashdown landing.
I want everyone to
get a good night’s
sleep tonight.
You gonna eat
that, Blanket?
Major Meowser is
right. We all need to
be in top condition for
this. There is no room
for error! Also…
I do not want
to get wet.
I can’t believe
tomorrow is
the last day of
training.
Major, do you think